Conveyer roll



Aug' 8, 1933- G. N. VAN DERHEF 1,921,445

CONVEYER ROLL Original Filed June 22, 1927 rso Patented Aug. e, 1933 lAUsiran l `1,921,445y i coNvnrEa ROLL George NL Van Eibernest, SouthBend, Ind., as- Y signor to Dodge Manufacturing Corporation, YMishawakailnd., a Corporation of Delaware [original @message .time 22,1927, serial'N.

200,566. Llivid 1929.

and thisapplication May 31, Serial No. 367,357 v locaties. (o1. 30s- 205This invention (for which the present appli-- cation is filed as adivision of my applicat Serial No. 206,566, Vled June 2.1,-19279 relatesto conveyor rolls, incre particularly belt sup-- porting installations.The object of the invention is to obtain a very efficient andpracticable conveyor belt supporting installation comprising rol-lsoridlers, and to provide an improved idler therefor.

The invention will be explained by reference to anillustrativeembodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and will be moreparticularly pointed out in the claims 'annexed to this description. l Yl The drawing represents a' troughing support comprising in thisinstance three lrolls or idlers, of which the 'intermediate roll isvshown in section and the adjacent end portions of the outer orilanlring rolls are shcivn'in elevation. ,In the drawing, the .threerolls referred to are respectively designated by the numerals 1, 2 andv3. These are arranged end to end on relatively inclined. axes. They areclosed spaced so as to bring the adjacent roll ends near tcgether at thetop, in order to provide a nearly continuous support for the ccnveyerbelt and' thus avoid objectionable saggingl of the belt between rolls.

The rolls are carried between suitable supporting brackets, beingindividually. removable as hereinafter explained. Intermediate bracketsfor supporting adjacent roll ends are indicated at L1 these beingarranged inthe gaps between the roll ends, below the axles of the rolls.The rolls at their vadjacent ends are supported through their axlesfroin these brackets or intermediate supports. 'It will be understoodthat the rolls land 3 are similarly supported at their outer ends fromsuitable brackets (not shown).

The construction of the. individual rolls and their accessories Will beunderstood by reference to the intermediate roll 2, which together withcave surfaces 'l truly concentric with the interior.

cylindrical surface 8 oftheroll; and thc said annular surfaces I maybeutilized for centering run in true balance, resisting Wear of the bear.l

axle 113` extending through the roll andv on truly cc-axial Withthebearing cones and shaft 'formed to provide grease Vchambers in theirinplied through the axle.

the roll in the machines for the boring, turning and finishingoperations, sov that the bearing-` encasing hubs maybe bored in exactalinernent and-interiorly iinished intrue concentricity With the surface8, and the outer surfaceof the roll 5U. may be Vturned and finishedprecisely parallel f and in true concentricity with said interiorsur-lface. The roll so manufactured is claimed ,by me as an improved articleof `manufacture in my said parent applications, and the method ofmanufacture is claimed by mein a divisional application Serial No,2Q3,272, filed July'16, 1928.

Use of` acast iron roll for a conveyer belt supporting idler isadvantageous from the standpoints of strength, sturdiness, and vresist-7,0

lance to abrasion, asV Wellv as forv economy of manufacture, While acast roll of the character stated has the special advantage that itwill4 ings and .Wearing of the conveyer belt which often results'froinunbalanced rolls. f

Bearings comprising, tapered bearingv rollers 9 and cup and cone ringstherefor are mounted in the hubs 6, the two bearings being symmetricallyarranged to sustainradial "load and op`- posite end thrusts. As shown,the bearing cup rings 10 are ntted inthe hubs against thrust shouldersr11 at the inner' sides of Vsaid Cup' rings, and the cone rings 12 areiitted Ona steel which the roll freely revolves through theinterposedbearings.V The exact alinement andvtrue, concentricity of the bearingrecesses in the hubs makes it possible to locate the bearingv cups caxis, thereby insuring proper` operation of. the bearings and'maintenance of the rolls in balance, provided the bearings be maintainedin proper adjustment. The. bearing cup rings 10 may be advantageousiyforced into the recesses of the roll vhubswith 'a press fit, and thecone rings 12 maybe forced'withja press lit on the axle 13.

The bearingfencasing .hubs ofthe rolls 'are ner ends, to Awhich greaseor lubricant is sup- In the specific construction shown the axleisholloW. to provide,A a grease conduit 15 communicating throughtheapertures 16 with the grease chambers 14. The lubricantis introducedinto the axle ,ends as hereinafter described, and enters the bearingsthrough the reservoirs or chambers 14 on the. Yinner sides of thebearings and .travels outward toward the grease seals at the outer sidesof of the bearings.

the bearings, giving av positive circulation which prevents theaccumulation of old grease.

Means cooperating with the inner ends of the bearing-encasing hubs andthe axle to confine the grease and prevent its escape into the interior`of the roll is represented by a grease tube 1'?v surrounding the axleand having its ends tightly jointed to the hubs. The ends of the greasetube may pass through the openings in the inner ends of the hubs and maybe beaded thereto at 13. The beading operation may place the tube insufficient tension to maintain tight joints with the hub throughout thelife'of the roll. The sealing of the hubs around the axle by the greasetube 1'7 is advantageous in a hollow cast roll because of thepossibility that in practice all coarse sand or other` abrasive materialmight not be removed from the interior of the roll.

Grease sealing means represented by labyrinth packings are provided atthe outer sides In the present case each labyrinth packing is providedby a sheetV metal ilanged ring 19, a peripherally grooved disc 20, andan outer Vsheet metal plate 21 having a circular iiange which enters acircular groove 22 in the outer end of the hub. The ring 19 tted in thehub provides a restricted passage between its inner edge and the bearingcone ring 12. The disc 20, mounted on the axle within the hub, is formedto provide a slight clearance between the opposite sides of the disc andthe plates 19 and 21, and the grooved periphery of` thedisc provides apair of constricted passages and an intermediate enlarged space betweenthe said periphery and the interior ofthe hub. The flange of the plate21 entering the circular recess 22 provides an additional restrictedpassage around said flange. The' labyrinth seal described electivelyprevents the escape of grease.

The end portions of the axle 13 project outside the bearings and areprovided with end pieces 23 detachably afiixed on the supportingbrackets 4. These end pieces 23 embody collars 24 enclosing the axleends and abutting against the bearing devices for positioning thebearings relative to the axle. The collars 24 are held in place bythebolt heads 25 oi fastening and adjusting screws or bolts 26 screwed intothe axlev ends. Washers interposed between the bolt headsv and thecollars are indicated at 27. The bolts are held from turning by lockingdevices in the form of washers having bendable lugs 28 engaging the boltheads, thesel locking devices having. extensions 29 engaging recesses inthe end pieces 23 to prevent the locking vdevices from turning relativeto the end pieces. Set

screws 30 in the collars engage the axle to hold it against rotation.

The length of the axle 13 is less than the distance between the outsidefaces of the two collars 24. when the latter are clamped against thebearing devices, thus providing clearances to allow forv adjusting thecollars inwardly by tightening the bolts 26. In the specificconstruction shown, the end thrust between the collars 24 and thebearing cones 12 is transmitted throughtheeiements 2l) and 21 ci thegrease seals, said elementsl 20 and 21l here typifying spacing membersappropriate for the particular axial dimensions of the collars shown,which in this instance are sufficiently long to extend clear to and abutagainst the plates 21.y If the collars were of shorter length, compensa-'lightening the bolts will draw the collars 24V inwardly, shortening thedistance between the collars, with resultant adjusting effect upon thebearings. Y

The `roll is equipped at one endwith a lubricant-introducing tube 3lhaving an appropriate iitting 32 ior connection with a grease gun orforce feeding device. The tube 3l is shown attached laterally to thecollar 2li on one oi the axle ends. The grease port in said collar towhich said tube is connected communicates with the conduit 15 in theaxle via a circumferential recess 33 formed in the outer surface of theaxle and a grease port 34 in the axle. Grease forced into the axlethrough the tube 31 passes to the grease chambers 14 and enters thebearings at their inner sides as previously explained.

As shown, the 'lubricant-introducing tube projects outwerdly anddownwardly, positioning the valved itting 37 at a convenientlyaccessible point for attachment and operation of a force feeding device.This lubricant-introducing tube may be attached to whichever end of theaxle is most convenient, the necessary grease holes and passages beingduplicated at the opposite ends of the axle. In practice, however, it issufficient to employ one lubricant-introducing tube as shown, and thegrease hole in the end piece 23 'at the opposite end of the rroll may beclosed by an ordinary plug.

Downwardly projecting angle arms are provided on the` axle ends by theend pieces 23 which engage and are removably supported by the brackets 4in a manner to hold the end pieces rmly in position while allowing themto be disconnected from the brackets' by lifting the roll. As shown,therend pieces are formed with bracket-engaging parts 35 ntted inrecesses 36 in the faces of the brackets, the said parts 35 of the endpieces being slidably iitted in the recessed parts or the brackets andthe recesses being open at the top so as to permit the end pieces to bewithdrawn from or inserted into the recesses or the brackets by upwardor downward' movement of the roll in a direction at right angles to itsaxis. v

foregoing description with reference more pai ilarly to the roll 2 willbe understood as applying toAea-ch of the rolls or the troughingyg3-.ort structure, each of said rolls being arranged bc-tween andremovably mounted through its axle-carrying vend pieces on a pair or"iixed brackets, which brackets will be understood to be mounted upon anysuitable decking or support. Only the intermediate brackets l are shown,these being arranged in gaps between adjacent roll ends and supportingthe adjacent axle ends through the angle arm attachments or end pieces23. rIhe opposite faces of the said intermediate brackets 4 are closelyadjacent' to the roll ends but entirely clear thereof, and the outerends of the rolls 1 and 3 may similarly be in close juxtaposition toYthe confronting faces oitheir supporting brackets (not shown). Asindicated in the drawing, the proportions and arrangement of parts aresuch that, while the axle end attachments at adjacent ends of therolls-are closely juxtaposed, each roll may be lifted by movementatright angles to its axis until its axle-carrying end llO lli)

y pieces 23are clear Vof and diSengagedrmthe with 'the bearing coneringsfior adjusting the brackets, without interference'by the adjacentroll end. Thus each roll maybe individually removed by lifting it untilits end pieces "are clear of the brackets and then moving it sidewise towithdraw it from the other rolls.

The fastening and adjusting bolts "m in the specific construction showntypify threaded fas- V tening devices screwed to the axle ends by whichto hold the axle end pieces in cooperative relation with the rolllbearings, maintaining Vthe bearings in proper position relative totheaxle and securing the roll parts in assembly.

It will be seenthat the invention provides an exceedingly practicable.construction for a troughing vsupport for belt conveyers having closelyarranged rolls which can be individually lubricated while in place,without'interfering with the operation of the conveyer, and which can beindividually removed by lifting them from their supports for inspection,adjustment and repair, and the bearings of which may be adjusted in theiield. i f D What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

l. A conveyer roll having an axle and bearings thereon set inwardly fromthe ends of the roll, the axle ends having attachments providingdepending angle arms engageable with and by which the axle ends may beremovably supported by supports placedclosely adjacent to the roll ends,said attachments embodying collars non-rotatably secured to andlongitudinally adjustable on the axle ends and cooperating with thebearings for positioning and adjusting the same, and adjusting meansscrewed to the axle ends Vagainst said collars, said attachments adaptedfor close 'juxtaposition in back to back relation to like parts of othersimilar rolls when arranged in the relationship shown in theaccompanying drawing.

2. A conveyer roll having inwardly set bearings comprising taperedbearing rollers and cup,

on the axle, screwboltsl in the ends of the axle,

having heads cooperating with said collars by which the collars are heldin cooperativerelation with the bearing cones and may be adjustedinwardly for adjusting the bearings, and the axle ends being providedwith depending arms adapted to be removably Aaiixed on supports adjacentthe roll ends. I Y

3. A conveyer roll having `inwardly set bearings comprising taperedbearing rollers and cup and cone rings therefor, an axle-on which saidcone rings are mounted, the roll having bearingencasing hubs in whichthe cup rings are tted, the bearings in the opposite ends of the rollbe- -ingsymmetrical and arranged to be tightened by inward adjustment ofthe cone rings, the axle end portions projecting outside said-bearingsand terminating proximate to the roll ends,

and angle pieces on the axle endportions providing depending armsadapted to be removably anxed on supports adjacent the roll ends, saidangle pieces embodyingcollars adjustably fastened on the axle endportions and cooperating bearings, said` angle pieces adaptedfor closejuxtaposition in back to back relation'to like parts vvof other similarrolls when arranged in volves, the said bearings being set inwardly fromthe roll ends and the axle ends being outside said kbearings and`adapted to be supported in close proximity te the roll ends, said rollhaving i means for holding grease on the inner sides of the bearings andgrease seals on the cuter sides of the bearings, collarsnon-rotatably'secure'd to and adjustable on the axle ends andcooperating with the bearings for positioning and adjusting the same,headed fastenings screwed to the axle ends ragainst `said collars, agrease-introducing tube laterally connected withv a said collar, and agrease duct in the axle communicating with said tubeand with said greaseholding means at `the inner side of thebearings.

5. Ina structure'of the class described, the combination with conveyerrolls arranged closelyA adjacent endto end on relatively inclined axes,said rolls having axles and rantiricticn bearings thereon set inwardlyrfrom the roll, ends, ofy supporting standards from which the rolls areremovably supported by angle pieces on the ing with the bearings forpositioning the same,

said collars having depending arms removably aiilxed on said standardsand detachable therelfrom upon liftingthe rolls, screw bolts in the endsof the axle having heads cooperating with said collars for adjustingvthe same for adjusting the bearings, there being clearance between theroll ends and adjacent faces of the standards and between adjacent axleend attachments so that each roll can be lifted to disengage. said armsfromj said standards and can be removed fromthe standards by movement atright angles to theroll axis.

6. Ina structure of the class described, the combination with conveyerrolls arranged closely adjacent end-to en'd on relatively inclined axes,said rolls having axles and bearings thereon set inwardly from the rollends, of an interposed support and a pair of angle pieces arrangedy backto back removably aiiixed on said support and embodying collarsnon-rotatably secured on the axle ends, said collars cooperating vwiththe bearings for maintaining them inposi- 7. In a structure of the classdescribed, the I' combination with conveyer rolls arranged closelyadjacent end to vendron relatively inclined axes, said rolls havingaxles and antifriction bearings thereon set inwardly from the roll ends,of sup- .pcrting standards from which the rolls are re- Amovablysupported by end pieces on the axle l ends, said end pieces` embodyingcollars on the axle and cooperating with the bearings for posifist anindependent unit removable from its supporting brackets withoutdisturbing the others.

8. A conveyor roll having an axle and bearings thereon set inwardly fromthe ends of the roll, the axle ends having attachments embodying collarsenclosing said ends and cooperating with the bearings for positioningthem on the axle, said attachments providing depending angle armsengageable with and by which the axle ends. may be removably supportedby supportsplaced closely adjacent to the roll ends, and threadedfastening devices screwed to the axle ends engaging said collars foradjustably holding them in cooperative relation with the bearings, saidattachments and fastenings constructed and arranged to permit closejuxtapositionin back to back relation thereto of like parts ci othersimilar rolls when arranged in the relation shown. j

9. A conveyer roll having bearing-encasing hubs and bearingsv thereincomprising tapered bearing rollers and cup and cone rings there- "for,said bearings arranged with their conical bearing surfaces converginginwardly, the cup rings being fitted in said hubs which are formed withthrust shoulders engaging the inner sides of said cup rings and withgrease chambers at the inner sides of said bearings, a tubular axle onwhich said cone rings are mounted in communication with said greasechambers, and

angle pieces-on the axle ends-having bracket engaging portions `fordetachable engagement with 'supporting brackets adjacent the roll endsand having axle housing portions cooperating with the cone-.rings of thebearings for positioning the same, screw bolts screwed into the ends ofthe tubular axle and constituting end closures therefor, the heads ofsaid ybolts cooperating with said angle pieces to hold them incooperative relation with said bearing cone rings and the said anglepieces having passages for communication with grease introducing meansand in communication Vwith the grease duct in the axle. v `j 10. Inastructure of the class described, the combination with conveyor rollsarranged end to end on relatively inclined axes, said rolls having axlesand bearings thereon set inwardly from the roll ends, of an interposedsupporting bracket and a pair of angle pieces arranged back to backremovably aixed to said bracket and embodying collars on the axle ends,said collars cooperating with the-bearings for maintaining them inproper position on the axle,` and eans comprising headedfasteningsscrewed to the axle ends against said collars for holding saidcollars in cooperativerelation with the bearings and adjusting thecollars to adjust the bearings.

GEORGE N. VAN DERHOEF.Vv

